A place for ex-pupils and maybe any surviving ex-staff to exchange memories of the school.

Monday, 28 June 2010

Stouts Hill Reunion 2010

Following the successful event in August 2009, David Mackinley-Woodhall told me that he knew of a group of people interested in a reunion in the summer of 2010, some of whom were unable to come this year; and Alan Davis bravely volunteered to arrange another event.

Since then, others have expressed interest, and I hope to join in myself if I can make it to England at that time. If you think you might like to come, please leave a comment here or get in touch by e-mail, to give us an idea of numbers.

The reunion is now planned for the 15th of August 2010. Roll up, roll up for the mystery tour!

Later: I've now booked a flight to England in August, so I seem increasingly likely to be there.

27 comments:

I have been exchanging messages with David Mackinly- Woodhall and have come up with a provisional date of 15th August '10. If there is sufficient interest after contacting as many as I can who enquired about our first reunion then we will go with it. For those who didn't manage to come last year, it was a great event and was worthwhile organising. If anybody would like to attend this year, make your interest known here. I do check this blog from time to time and will see your message.If it is run along similar lines as last time then it will be about £5 per head.Alan Davis

My life is somewhat unpredictable and I hesitate to forecast my availability, but I'd like to attend another reunion if feasible. Perhaps I could make less of a mess of my travel arrangements the second time.

August 15th would be fine for me, I will speak to Jeremy Astley-Spark within the next week or so.

As it is a Sunday lunch might be a better option than supper, the old spot in Dursley has a private room that can take about 15 for a sit down or perhaps 30 for a buffet, excellent beer. A more expensive option is Calcot Manor near Tetbury but I expect cost would be about £25 per head without drinks.

There is only one pub operating now in Uley and that is really just a drinking establishment.

Once we know numbers I will happily do some more research if this helps as I still have an office in Dursley.

I have this morning spoken to Maureen, the resort manager at Stouts Hill. She has confirmed that the 15th August is fine for another reunion. I will be sending emails to those who have contacted me in the past and will post a message on Friends Reunited. I am assuming that the format will be similar to last year as this is the most cost effective. David Mackinly- Woodhall has mentioned having a formal meal at another location after the event so it may be wise for those who wish to partake to contact him direct or express their interest on here.Like last year, if you would like to attend, please make me aware of your interest as I need to know numbers. Thanks.Alan Davis

This is an excellent idea - maybe to make it an annual fixture - and I will make every effort to be there on 15th August. Can the reunion be broadcast to more old SH boys who don't look at this blog? Thanks, Alan, from Emile Farhi

Thanks for that Emile. We will see what level of support we have as to whether it becomes an annual event. I have just posted a reunion message on the Friends Reunited website, so we will see what the response is from it. My next task is to contact ex. members of staff! Alan

Hi To You All, My name is Richard Leitch and I was at the school from '66 - '71. I currently live in Bali, Indonesia. I have added the date into my calendar and will make every effort to be there if I can. I think it is great that this reunion is going into it's second year. To those that have set this all up, well done. I was unable to attend as I was working in Qatar at the time. It is good that we remember the good times and meet old friends. The first time I went to Britain from Assam in India was Jan '66. It was a huge culture shock, but I do also remember the good times. Bests to you all, Richard

Hi, Dick. My home was in Nigeria the whole time I was at Stouts Hill (1963-67), so it was quite a difference for me too. In 1970 my father was working in Qatar, but I think it's changed a lot since then! I'm now living in Spain.

Not very good at computers but here goes. I am keen to attend the 2010 reunion on the 15th August lunch time. Roger Dawson 1944-48,I think. Cheers Roger Dawson . Started as Dawson 5 and worked my way up to just Dawson.

Welcome, Roger. There are many who can't remember their own dates accurately, but you seem to have managed it: the Stouts Hill Magazine confirms that you were present from 1944-48, and went on to St John's, Leatherhead. Hope to see you at the reunion...

Hi there, it took a brother to get me here, never BLOGGED B4.Get together sounds a good idea. we used to have one some years ago, related to certain years. We perhaps don't need one every year, maybe every three or even five years.Perhaps someone could get Stephen Fry to tell us about this blog on QI. he got a lot of stick over "Gorringes" didn't he?Will be good to see some of the names I recognise from 54 - 60, and Miles, I promise to recognise you straight away this time! How are you four daughters?Guess I'll see you in August then.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy described the planet Earth as "mostly harmless". A rather overgenerous description of humanity in general, but I think it might reasonably be applied to Stouts Hill veterans these days.

once again the reunion clashes with a cricket match I play in -against Chris Coley's team! This is a shame as I would love to return to see some old (!) faces. Have a great day - am very impressed Richard Leitch is coming from Bali.

Having just spent the last 2 hours reading all the wonderful stuff on your Blog Alan and discovering that I won the gardening prize not once but twice in a row! (Though my academic success at stouts Hill left much to be desired I was captain of the swimming team so not a total waste of 5 years investment by parents!) I have to join the re union on 15th, if it’s still on?It’s been a journey of nostalgia to read all about the school, the teachers and the various memories of the fellow contributors. Names not thought of for almost 40 yrs have leapt from the pages and although my memories of Stouts Hill are mixed I do have more fond memories than not so.Birthday parties with green icing and white and chocolate meringues. Fireworks parties at Mathew Wottons home in Uley ( if you were lucky to be invited and I remember not surprisingly 7 days before the party Wotton suddenly found himself the most popular boy in the school!) Days out at Philip Bonds farm in Nailsworth I think. Climbing the pear trees in the drive and getting stomach ache from over consumption of the fruit.Seagull, the fattest white horse on the planet, that I always seemed to be put on in the riding classes. and fell off more than once. The conker trees and making ingenious marble ramps in our classroom desks. Midnight feasts in the attic above Oak Dorm. Seeing my first naughty magazine on platform one of Eiffel Tower during a School trip that took in Paris. Seem to remember Mr Coley confiscating it on the pretext it was to be destroyed, likely story!Oh and I have just remembered as a prefect I managed to get the best job in the school by being put in charge of the tuck shop – must have been because my family owned a hotel rather than my accounting skills – though I do remember working out how to fiddle the books and subsequently was commended by Scott Clark as the only boy to make a profit!I could carry on but will save it for 15th – please let me know the detailsI was at Stouts Hill from 1968 to 1973 – Wasps and never got further then Remove. Still close friends with Charlie Price whom I will encourage to come along as well.Colin Richards (School Number 33!)

PS John Morris - you may remember me I think we once or twice shared trips to and from school to the west county

Hello Colin, yes everything is still very much 'on' for the 15th. Arrive anytime after midday. Parking will be on the cricket pitch (as was) so long as it hasn't rained too much the previous week. As per last year there will be a finger food buffet, tea, coffee or squash etc. All I ask for is a £5 per head contribution to cover room hire & food.With luck the bar will be open for a while as one of the staff has to man it for licensing reasons.Hopefully it will be a good day once again!Alan Davis

Hello Colin Richardsyes I definitely remember you and most of what you remember about school life etc.

Last time I saw you was in the distance in the school dinning room at Allhallows when I was over from Blundells to act as line judge for the 2nd XV in 1978. It was not done for me to acknowledge I knew anyone in the "enemy camp". On the other hand when the Allhallows team visited Blundells I was quite happy to break the "no-fratenising" rule and say hello to Nikki Charrington who had accompanied the Allhallows team to be able to meet up with her brother who was at Blundells. (I knew most of the Charrington family - her Grand apretns were friends of my parents and her great uncle lived a few doors from me.)Caroline Gahan was probably another contemporary of yours at Allhallows and I was at university with her.

My home town was Lyme Regis so my family were also old friends with people like Bill & Honor Preston and Graham & Mary Jones. I saw Honor Graham and Mary at my mother's funeral a coupe of years ago and they seemed to be doing fine.

I met Charlie Price in 1968 during the Summer holiday before I went to Stouts Hill. The Anguses arranged the meeting as he lived relatively near me. The idea was that I would thus already know someone when I arrived as a new boy - there were very few people at Stouts Hill from my neck of the woods (Dorset). Trouble was that Charlie and I were never in the same class/dorm or whatever and our paths hardly ever crossed. I remember being very imopressed with his dad's car in 1968: car radio and a cigarette lighter - I think it was a big Humber.

Sorry I'll not be seeing you on the 15th.

John(School nhumber 81 in brass nails on the soles of boots and shoes)